Born in Saint John, New Brunswick, on November 14, 1840, May Agnes Fleming (family name Earlie) was a prolific transatlantic author. Her career began at fifteen, when she submitted a short story to the New York Mercury. Following this initial publication, Fleming developed a long-standing relationship with this American periodical, writing novels and short stories for it and its sister periodical, the Sunday Mercury, until 1868. She soon after signed a contract with Philadelphia Saturday Night, which lasted from 1868 until 1872, at which point she wrote for the New York Weekly exclusively until her death in 1880.
Fleming’s ephemeral yet prosperous authorial career demonstrates that the material conditions of the production of literature in nineteenth-century Canada, while in some respects limiting, bred opportunities for Fleming to find success in the transatlantic print network through cross-border publication, a culture of unauthorized reprinting, and transatlantic publishing agreements. Exploring Fleming’s bibliography demonstrates how recontextualizing the cultural, legal, and material conditions of authorship enables us to better understand the resourceful, canny negotiations some authors undertook to find (rare) literary success while residing in Canada. It also highlights what Carole Gerson calls the “internationalism of English-language print culture” in the late nineteenth century (26).
As the periodical titles cited above indicate, Fleming’s notable literary connections were in the US. This meant that while she was living as a wife and mother in Canada, Fleming participated in a system of trans-border publishing—something not uncommon for authors in nineteenth-century Canada to do. In 1874, two years after she secured her final contract with the New York Weekly, Fleming and her family moved to Brooklyn. Prior to the move, however, Fleming resided in Canada, meaning that for seventeen years of her twenty-three-year-long authorial career—which were also her most fruitful years—Fleming’s works were not protected by copyright.
Because she was a resident of Canada and her works were being published in the United States under the Copyright Act, Fleming’s works could legally be reprinted in the US without any obligation to compensate her financially. And because Fleming’s works lacked copyright protection, they could be freely recirculated and reprinted outside of North America, too—and often were, in British periodicals like the London Journal. Even after her move to Brooklyn, when she became a resident of the United States (and was thereby protected under the 1790 Copyright Act), Fleming’s later novels were still reprinted before the completion of the twelve-year protection term that the Act specified. This occurrence further demonstrates the degree to which Fleming’s career was shaped by unauthorized reprinting, as publishers and notorious reprinters elected to reissue popular fiction without authorization even when copyright status was obtained.
Through this lack of copyright protection, Fleming’s works, which were born from trans-border publishing agreements, reached transatlantic markets. And although Fleming was not compensated for reprints of her stories and novels, the audience she acquired through mass circulation underpinned the success of her career, as her popularity enabled her to secure long-term publishing contracts with Philadelphia Saturday Night and the New York Weekly. Moreover, Fleming’s contract with the Weekly resulted in a joint publishing opportunity, where the London Journal, a source that once reprinted her works without authorization, could publish her novels at the same time as the Weekly, with the stipulation that Fleming would be compensated and that the Journal would pronounce the works to be copyright protected.1
Between her first publication in 1857 and her final publication in 1880, Fleming published at least sixty short stories, ten poems, and thirty-six novels. Posthumously, four short-fiction collections, seven novels, and two German translations of her novels were published. Fleming wrote at least 105 works, all published before her death in 1880. Nearly thirty per cent were reprinted without authorization in the months or years following the original publication. These reprints appeared in periodical and book forms throughout the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Many of these titles were reprinted multiple times—often by the same publishers.
The bibliography below, which expands on Lorraine McMullen’s 1989 research and follows her bibliographic style, demonstrates the transatlantic reach of Fleming’s work. It cites the poems, novels, and stories published during each year of her career, the publishing venue, and the volume and/or issue of publication insofar as they are known. This bibliography tracks the transatlantic trajectory of Fleming’s career and demonstrates how her career—however much of an anomaly it may have been—was fundamentally grounded in and facilitated by the culture of unauthorized reprinting that dominated and sometimes plagued authorship in the nineteenth century.
May Agnes Fleming’s career and transatlantic legacy encourage us to challenge our perceptions of nineteenth-century publishing conditions as being exclusively a hindrance. Indeed, her negotiation of transatlantic and trans-border legal conditions invites us to explore how authors in nineteenth-century Canada benefited from carefully navigating these international conditions. Reviewing Fleming’s bibliography and tracking the ebbs and flows of her works across the Atlantic and back allow us to develop a more complex, rich, and holistic understanding of how authors residing in Canada manoeuvred the transatlantic print network throughout the nineteenth century.
1857
“The Last of the Mountjoys.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 1857. Published in The Old House among the Mountains, edited by Mary Jane Holmes, Leisure Hour Library, vol. 350, 1901, pp. 27–32.
“The Lady’s Choice.” Western Recorder and Carleton Advertiser and Home Journal (Saint John, NB), 28 Nov. 1857, p. 1.
1858
“Sporting His Figure; Or, Sam Sugarloaf ’s Courtship.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 25 Sept. 1858, p. 6.
1859
“The Squire’s Son.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 29 Jan. 1859, p. 7.
“The Unknown Wooer.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 26 Feb. 1859, p. 7.
“Hallow Eve.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 19 Mar. 1859, p. 6.
The Rover Chief; Or, the Witch of the Moore. New York Mercury (New York, NY), Mar.–Apr. 1859.
“Zion: An Old Man’s Tale.” Western Recorder and Carleton Advertiser and Home Journal (Saint John, NB), 23 Apr. 1859, pp. 1–2; cont’d 30 Apr. 1859, p. 2.
“Little Lilly.” Western Recorder and Weekly Herald (Saint John, NB), 21 May 1859, pp. 1–2.
“Nora; Or, Love and Money.” Sunday Mercury (New York, NY), 26 June 1859, p. 3. Reprinted in Married for Money and Other Stories (1891) by Ogilvie.
Edith Percival; Or, The Hermit of the Cliffs. New York Mercury (New York, NY), vol. 21, nos. 30–38 (July to Sept. 1859). Published as The Hermit of the Cliffs (1865) by F. M. Lupton (New York, NY). Published as Edith Percival (1893) by Dillingham (New York, NY). Second half published as Caught in the Snare (1893) by Street and Smith (New York, NY).
“Annot Craig.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 24 Sept. 1859, p. 6.
“Love’s Young Dream.” Sunday Mercury (New York, NY), 20 Nov. 1859, p. 2.
1860
“The Husband’s Revenge; Or, The Castle by the Sea.” Sunday Mercury (New York, NY), 29 Jan. 1860, p. 2.
“My Beau.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 4 Feb. 1860, p. 3.
“St. Valentine’s Day.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 11 Feb. 1860, p. 3.
“The Wages of Sin.” Sunday Mercury (New York, NY), 19 Feb. 1860, p. 6.
“Lost.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 25 Feb. 1860, p. 2.
“Wilfred’s Wife.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 3 Mar. 1860, pp. 6–7.
“A Slight Mistake; Or, How Uncle Pete Became an Old Bachelor.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 31 Mar. 1860, p. 3.
“First Love; A Boarding School Story.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 7 Apr. 1860, p. 3.
“Ned’s Wife and Mine.” Sunday Mercury (New York, NY), 8 Apr. 1860, p. 2.
“Aunt Becky’s Niece.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 21 Apr. 1860, p. 3.
“Ida Gwynne.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 12 May 1860, pp. 6–7.
“Captain Ben Stannerd and His Ward.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 19 May 1860, p. 3.
“Cousin Doug’s Bride.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 4 Aug. 1860, p. 2.
“By the Sea.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 4 Aug. 1860, p. 6.
“Wooing and Wedding.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 14 Sept. 1860, p. 8.
“Maggie’s Love.” Sunday Mercury (New York, NY), 23 Sept. 1860, p. 2.
Sybil Campbell; Or, The Queen of the Isle. New York Mercury (New York, NY), Sept. 1860–Jan. 1861. Published as Sybil Campbell; Or, The Queen of the Isle (1861) by Beadle (New York, NY). Published as Sybil Campbell; Or, The Queen of the Isle (1862) by Brady (New York, NY). Published as An Awful Mystery (1875) by Brady (New York, NY). Published as An Awful Mystery; Or, Sybil Campbell, the Queen of the Isle (date unknown) by Beadle and Adams (New York, NY). Published as The Queen of the Isle (1886) by Federal Book Co. (New York, NY). Published as The Queen of the Isle; Or, The Campbell’s Curse (1886) by E. E. Sheppard (Toronto, ON). Published as The Queen of the Isle: A Novel (1886) by Dillingham (New York, NY). Published as The Queen of the Isle (191–) by Hurst (New York, NY).
“The Philopena.” Sunday Mercury (New York, NY), 7 Oct. 1860, p. 2.
“The Death-Watch.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 16 Nov. 1860, p. 5.
“The Collegian’s Supper.” Sunday Mercury (New York, NY), 29 Dec. 1860, p. 3.
Gipsy Gower; Or, The Star of the Valley. New York Mercury (New York, NY), 1860.
Three Cousins; Or, Life at Hinton Hall. Metropolitan Record (New York, NY), 21 Apr. 1860, p. 10 (promotion), 28 Apr. 1860, pp. 1–2, to 2 June 1860, pp. 1–2. Published as Three Cousins (ca. 1873 to 1877) by W. G. Gibson (Toronto, ON). Published as The Three Cousins; Or, Life at Hinton Hotel (1878) by Street and Smith (New York, NY). Published as The Three Cousins, and One Summer Month (1881) by an unknown publisher (New York, NY).
1861
Fairy May; Or, The Child’s Prophecy. Pilot (Boston, MA), 5 Jan. 1861, p. 1 to 2 Mar. 1861, p. 1.
“The Sea.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 5 Jan. 1861, p. 5.
“The Old Romance.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 19 Jan. 1861, p. 5.
“An Echo from the Past.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 9 Mar. 1861, p. 2.
“The President’s Levee.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 23 Mar. 1861, p. 2.
“Waiting.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 13 Apr. 1861, p. 5.
“The Doctor’s Choice.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 18 May 1861, p. 6.
“The Magic Gift: A German Legend.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 25 May 1861, p. 5.
“That Night.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 1 June 1861, p. 2.
“Our Minister.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 1 June 1861, p. 5.
“A Memorial.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 8 June 1861, p. 1.
“At Last.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 8 June 1861, p. 5.
“St. John’s Eve.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 22 June 1861, pp. 5–6.
“Which?” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 29 June 1861, p. 5.
Silver Star; Or, The Mystery of Fontelle Hall. New York Mercury (New York, NY), July 1861 to Oct. 1861. Published as Silver Star; Or, The Mystery of Fontelle Hall. A Story of New Jersey in the Olden Time (1861) by Brady (New York, NY). Published as Silver Star; Or, The Mystery of Fontelle Hall. A Story of New Jersey in the Olden Times (1863) in New York Mercury (New York, NY). Published as The Dark Secret (1875) by Hurst (New York, NY). Published as The Dark Secret; Or, The Mystery of Fontelle Hall (1875) by Beadle and Adams (New York, NY). Published as The Dark Secret (1875) by Federal Book Co. (New York, NY). Published as Pride and Passion (1878) by Dillingham (New York, NY). Published as Pride and Passion (1882) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as Pride and Passion (1882) by Low (London).
“Essica.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 6 July 1861, p. 2.
“Haunted.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 13 July 1861, p. 1.
“Rose Hill.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 31 July 1861, p. 3.
“Once.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 3 Aug. 1861, p. 7.
“Our Professor.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 19 Oct. 1861, pp. 5–6.
“Shipwrecked.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 2 Nov. 1861, p. 8.
“Our Midnight Visitor.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 23 Nov. 1861, p. 7.
1862
Hagar Clyde. Metropolitan Record (New York, NY), 4 Jan. 1862, pp. 1–2 to 17 May 1862, pp. 1–2.
“Accursed.” Sunday Mercury (New York, NY), 9 Feb. 1862, p. 2.
Erminie; Or, The Gypsy’s Vow. New York Mercury (New York, NY), from 8 Feb. 1862, p. 4, to May 1862, vol. 24, no. 21, p. 6. Published as Erminie; Or, The Gypsy’s Vow. A Tale of Love and Vengeance (1863) by Brady (New York, NY). Published as The Gypsy Queen’s Vow; Or, The Victim of Fate (1865) by Beadle (New York, NY). Published as The Gypsy Queen’s Vow (1875) by Hurst (New York, NY). Published as Maud Percy’s Secret (1884) by Carleton (New York, NY).
“Water Dolorosa.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 8 Mar. 1862, p. 7.
“For Spite.” Sunday Mercury (New York, NY), 27 Apr. 1862, p. 3.
“What I Did.” Sunday Mercury (New York, NY), 25 May 1862, p. 3.
“A Traveller’s Vexations.” Sunday Mercury (New York, NY), 27 July 1862, p. 3.
“A Coquette Caught.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 25 Oct. 1862, p. 7.
“Beaux Yeux.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 15 Nov. 1862, p. 6.
“How I Became a Zouave.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 20 Dec. 1862, pp. 6–7.
“Fanny’s Letters.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 27 Dec. 1862, p. 7.
“Sue’s Secret.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 31 Dec. 1862, pp. 6–7.
Victoria; Or, The Heiress of Castle Cliffe. New York Mercury (New York, NY), 1862. Published as Victoria; Or, The Heiress of Castle Cliffe (1864) by Beadle (New York, NY). Published as Victoria; Or, The Heiress of Castle Cliffe (1868 to 1869) in Philadelphia Saturday Night (Philadelphia, PA). Published as Unmasked (1870) by Beadle (New York, NY). Published as The Heiress of Castle Cliffe (1875) by Federal Book Co. (New York, NY). Published as Wedded for Pique (1897) by Dillingham (New York, NY). Published as The Heiress of Castle Cliffe; Or, Off with the Old Love (1904) by Street and Smith (Eagle Series) (New York, NY). Published as Viva, the Heiress of Castle Cliffe (date unknown) by James Henderson (London, UK).
1863
“My Folly.” Sunday Mercury (New York, NY), 5 July 1863, pp. 2–3.
Sisters of Torwood: In Three Parts. Metropolitan Record (New York, NY), 25 July 1863, pp. 1–2, to 26 Dec. 1862, p. 3. Published as The Sisters of Torwood (1890) by Street and Smith (New York, NY). Published as The Sisters of Torwood (1898) by Dillingham (New York, NY).
La Masque; Or, The Midnight Queen. Sunday Mercury (New York, NY), 1863. Published as La Masque; Or, The Midnight Queen (1863) by Brady (New York, NY). Published as The Midnight Queen: A Tale of Illusion, Delusion, and Mystery (1870) by Frank Starr and Co. (New York, NY). Published as The Midnight Queen (1876) by Beadle (New York, NY). Published as The Midnight Queen (1888) by Dillingham (New York, NY). Published as The Midnight Queen (date unknown) by Federal Book Co. (New York, NY). Published as The Midnight Queen (date unknown) by Hurst (New York, NY).
1864
“Hazelwood.” Sunday Mercury (New York, NY), 1864.
New Year’s Eve. Metropolitan Record (New York, NY) from 2 Jan. 1864, pp. 1–2, to 30 Jan. 1864, pp. 1–2.
The Twin Sisters; Or, The Wronged Wife’s Hate. Beadle and Adams (New York, NY), 1864. Published as The Twin Sisters; Or, The Wronged Wife’s Hate (1869) by Starr (New York, NY). Published as The Rival Brothers (1875) by Beadle (New York, NY). Published as The Rival Brothers (1875) by Federal Book Co. (New York, NY). Published as A Wronged Wife (1883) by Dillingham (New York, NY). Published as A Wronged Wife by Carleton (New York, NY).
1865
“Miriam.” Sunday Mercury (New York, NY), 1865.
“Natalie Marsh.” Sunday Mercury (New York, NY), 1865.
1866
Eulalie; Or, A Wife’s Tragedy. Sunday Mercury (New York, NY), 1866. Published as Eulalie; Or, A Wife’s Tragedy (1866) by Brady (New York, NY). Published as Eulalie; Or, A Wife’s Tragedy (1881) by Low (London, UK). Published as A Wife’s Tragedy (1881) by Rose Belford (Toronto, ON).
1867
“An Early Dream.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 21 Sept. 1867, p. 8.
“Duke’s Mistake.” Sunday Mercury (New York, NY), 28 Sept. 1867, p. 8.
“Miss Ingersoll’s Story.” Sunday Mercury (New York, NY), 6 Oct. 1867, pp. 2–3.
“Sir Gervais.” Sunday Mercury (New York, NY), 20 Oct. 1867, pp. 2–3.
“My Rival.” New York Mercury (New York, NY), 28 Dec. 1867, p. 8.
1868
The Baronet’s Bride. Philadelphia Saturday Night (Philadelphia, PA), 3 Oct. 1868 to 26 Dec. 1868. Published as The Baronet’s Bride; Or, A Woman’s Vengeance (1868) by Donohue (Chicago, IL). Published as The Heir of Kingsland Court; Or, The Baronet’s Bride (1887) by James Henderson (London, UK). Published as The Baronet’s Bride; Or, A Woman’s Revenge (1892) by Munro (New York, NY).
1869
The Heiress of Glengower. Philadelphia Saturday Night (Philadelphia, PA), 23 Jan. 1869 to 17 Apr. 1869. Published as The Heiress of Glen Dower; Or, The Hidden Crime (1869) by Donohue (Chicago, IL). Published anonymously as The Sister’s Crime; Or, The Heiress of Ravensdale (1869) in London Journal (London, UK), 15 May 1869 to 1 Sept. 1869. Published as The Heiress of Glengower; Or, The Hidden Crime (1892) by Munro (New York, NY).
Estella’s Husband. Philadelphia Saturday Night (Philadelphia, PA), 24 Apr. 1869 to 24 July 1869. Published as Estella’s Husband; Or, Thrice Lost, Thrice Won (1869) by Donohue (Chicago, IL). Published as Estella’s Husband; Or, Thrice Lost, Thrice Won (1860) by Munro (New York, NY). Published as Thrice Lost, Thrice Won; Or, Estella’s Husband (1892) by Street and Smith (New York, NY).
Sybilla’s Marriage. A Woman’s Story. Philadelphia Saturday Night (Philadelphia, PA), 11 Sept. 1869 to 20 Oct. 1869.
The Unseen Bridegroom; Or, Wedded for a Week. Munro (New York, NY), 1869. Published as The Unseen Bridegroom; Or, Wedded for a Week (1869) by Donohue (Chicago, IL). Published as The Unseen Bridegroom (1890) by Surprise Library (New York, NY).
1870
Lady Evelyn. Philadelphia Saturday Night (Philadelphia, PA) from 1 Jan. 1870 to 16 Apr. 1870. Published as Lady Evelyn; Or, The Lord of Royal Rest (1870) by Donohue (Chicago, IL). Published as Lady Evelyn; Or, The Lord of Royal Rest (1882) by Robertson (Toronto, ON). Published as Lady Evelyn; Or, The Lord of Royal Rest (1899) by Street and Smith (New York, NY).
Who Wins? A Love Story. Philadelphia Saturday Night (Philadelphia, PA), 16 Apr. 1870 to 23 July 1870. Published anonymously as The Mystery of Mordaunt Hall (1870) in London Journal (London, UK), 16 July 1870 to 1 Nov. 1870. Published as Who Wins? A Love Story (date unknown) by Surprise Library (New York, NY). Published as Who Wins? Or, The Secret of Monkswood Waste (1870) by Munro (New York, NY). Published as Who Wins? Or, The Secret of Monkswood Waste (1870) by Donohue (Chicago, IL). Published as Who Wins? Or, The Secret of Monkswood Waste (1895) by Munro (New York, NY). Published as Who Wins? (1910) by New York Book Company (New York, NY).
1871
Magdalen’s Vow. Philadelphia Saturday Night (Philadelphia, PA), 18 Feb. 1871 to 3 June 1871. Published as Magdalen’s Vow (1871) by Munro (New York, NY). Published as Magdalen’s Vow (1893) by Munro (New York, NY). Published as Magdalen’s Vow (19–) by Hurst (New York, NY). Published as Magdalen’s Vow (19–) by Federal Book Co. (New York, NY).
Which Will She Marry? Philadelphia Saturday Night (Philadelphia, PA), 29 Oct. 1871 to 3 Feb. 1872.
1872
A Wonderful Woman. New York Weekly (New York, NY), 1872. Published as A Wonderful Woman (1872) in London Journal (London, UK), 6 July 1872 to 28 Dec. 1872. Published as A Wonderful Woman (1873) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as A Wonderful Woman (1874) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as A Wonderful Woman (1884) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as A Wonderful Woman (1891) by Dillingham (New York, NY). Published as A Wonderful Woman (1897) by Dillingham (New York, NY). First half published as A Wonderful Woman; Or, Rose O’Donnell’s Secret (1906) by Street and Smith (New York, NY). Second half published as Mystery of Bracken Hollow (1915) by Street and Smith (New York, NY).
A Leap in the Dark; Or, Wedded Yet No Wife. New York Weekly (New York, NY), 1872 to 1873. Published as Guy Earlscout’s Wife (1872) by Low (London, UK). Published as Guy Earlscout’s Wife (1873) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as Guy Earlscout’s Wife (1874) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as Guy Earlscout’s Wife: A Novel (1897) by Dillingham (New York, NY). Published as Guy Earlscout’s Wife; Or, Wedded Yet No Wife (1900) by Street and Smith (New York, NY). Published as The Paths of Love; Or, A Leap in the Dark (date unknown) by James Henderson (London, UK).
1873
A Terrible Secret. New York Weekly (New York, NY), 1873. Published as A Terrible Secret in London Journal (London, UK), 31 May 1873 to 8 Nov. 1873. Published as A Terrible Secret (1874) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as A Terrible Secret (1887) by Dillingham (New York, NY). Published as A Terrible Secret (1897) by Dillingham (New York, NY). Second half published as When Tomorrow Came; Or, The Cost of Jealousy (1901) by Street and Smith (New York, NY). Published as Die von Catheron, roman in drei b.nden. Nach dem englischen der Mrs. May Agnes Fleming von Ludmilla Frydman. A. Schumann (Leipzig, Germany), 1875.
1874
Norine’s Revenge. New York Weekly (New York, NY), 1874. Published as Norine’s Revenge in London Journal (London, UK), 11 Apr. 1874 to 20 June 1874. Published as Norine’s Revenge and Sir Noel’s Heir (1875) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as Norine’s Revenge and Sir Noel’s Heir (1880) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as Norine’s Revenge and Sir Noel’s Heir (1881) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as Norine’s Revenge and Sir Noel’s Heir (1882) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as Norine’s Revenge and Sir Noel’s Heir (1886) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as Norine’s Revenge (1888) by Dillingham (New York, NY). Published as Norine’s Revenge and Sir Noel’s Heir (1902) by Dillingham (New York, NY). Published as Norine’s Revenge (date unknown) by Street and Smith (New York, NY).
A Mad Marriage. New York Weekly (New York, NY), 1874 to 1875. Published as A Mad Marriage in London Journal (London, UK), 15 Aug. 1874 to 16 Jan. 1875. Published as A Mad Marriage (1875) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as A Mad Marriage (1878) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as Un Mariage Extravagant (1878) by Librairie Hachette (Paris, France). Second half published as Woman Without Mercy; Or, A Heart of Stone (1910) by Street and Smith (New York, NY).
1875
One Night’s Mystery. New York Weekly (New York, NY), 1875. Published as One Night’s Mystery in London Journal (London, UK), 22 May 1875 to 4 Dec. 1875. Published as One Night’s Mystery (1876) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as One Night’s Mystery (1879) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as One Night’s Mystery (1897) by Dillingham (New York, NY).
1876
Kate Danton; Or, Captain Danton’s Daughters. New York Weekly (New York, NY), 1876. Published as In Golden Bondage in London Journal (London, UK), 18 Mar. 1876 to 24 June 1876. Published as Kate Danton; Or, Captain Danton’s Daughters (1876) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as Kate Danton; Or, Captain Danton’s Daughters (1876) by Low (London). Published as Kate Danton; Or, Captain Danton’s Daughters (1877) by Belford Brothers (Toronto, ON). Published as Kate Danton; Or, Captain Danton’s Daughters (1880) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as Fetters of Gold (1896) in London Journal (London, UK), 30 May 1896, pp. 475–76, to 5 Sept. 1896, pp. 215–16. Second half published as Proud as a Queen; Or, Kate Danton the Beautiful (1905) by Street and Smith (New York).
Silent and True; Or, A Little Queen. New York Weekly (New York, NY), 1876 to 1877. Published as A Little Queen in London Journal (London, UK), 23 Sept. 1876 to 10 Mar. 1877. Published as Silent and True; Or, A Little Queen (1877) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as Silent and True; Or, A Little Queen: A Novel (1878) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as Silent and True; Or, A Little Queen: A Novel (1879) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as Silent and True; Or, A Little Queen: A Novel (1882) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as Silent and True; Or, A Little Queen: A Novel (1888) by Dillingham (New York, NY). Second half published as A Treasure Lost (1904) by Street and Smith (New York, NY).
1877
One False Step. London Journal (London, UK), 7 July 1877 to 18 Aug. 1877. Published as The Ghost of Riverdale Hall (1895) by Lupton (New York, NY).
Shaddeck Light! New York Weekly (New York, NY), 1877 to 1878. Published as The Forced Marriage in London Journal (London, UK), 3 Nov. 1877 to 13 Apr. 1878. Published as The Heir of Charlton: A Novel (1878) by Dillingham (New York, NY). Published as The Heir of Charlton (1879) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as The Heir of Charlton: A Novel (1881) by Low (London, UK). Published as The Heir of Charlton (1905) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as The Heir of Charlton: A Story of Shaddeck Light (as published in the New York Weekly, vol. xxxii, no. 49) (1905) by Dillingham (New York, NY).
1878
Carried by Storm. New York Weekly (New York, NY), 1878 to 1879. Published as Carried by Storm in London Journal (London, UK) from 14 Dec. 1878 to 7 June 1879. Published as Carried by Storm (1879) by Dillingham (New York, NY). Published as Carried by Storm: A Novel (1880) by Carleton (New York, NY). Second half published as Love’s Dazzling Glitter (1904) by Street and Smith (New York, NY).
1879
A Secret Sorrow. New York Weekly (New York, NY), 1897. Published as A Secret Sorrow in London Journal (London, UK), 5 July 1879 to 20 Sept. 1879. Published as The Secret Sorrow (1881) by Ogilvie (New York, NY). Published as The Secret Sorrow (1883) by Ogilvie (New York, NY). Published as A Fateful Abduction; Or, The Secret Sorrow (1907) by Dillingham (New York, NY).
1880
Lost for a Woman. New York Weekly (New York, NY), 1879 to 1880. Published as Lost for a Woman in London Journal (London, UK), 17 Jan. 1880 to 26 June 1890. Published as Lost for a Woman (1880) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as Lost for a Woman (1880) by Robertson (Toronto, ON). Published as Lost for a Woman (1881) by Carleton (New York, NY). Published as Lost for a Woman (1884) by Carleton (New York, NY). Second half published as His to Love or Hate (1907) by Smith and Street (New York, NY).
1881
A Changed Heart. Carleton (New York, NY), 1881. Published as A Changed Heart (1881) by Low (London, UK). Published as A Changed Heart (1881?) by Rose-Belford (Toronto, ON). Published as A Changed Heart (1883) by Carleton. Published as A Changed Heart; Or, A Sweet Little Lady (1897) by Dillingham (New York, NY). Published as A Changed Heart; Or, A Sweet Little Lady (1909) by Street and Smith (New York, NY).
Fated to Marry: A Night of Terror; Kathleen. Ogilvie (New York, NY), 1881. Published as Fated to Marry (1881) by W. G. Gibson (Toronto, ON). Published as A Changed Heart (date unknown) by Rose Belford (Toronto, ON).
1882
“A Dark Conspiracy.” In Norine’s Revenge and Sir Noel’s Heir, Carleton (New York, NY), 1882, pp. 379–92. Published as “A Dark Conspiracy” in Norine’s Revenge and Sir Noel’s Heir (1902), Dillingham (New York, NY), pp. 379–92.
“For Better or Worse.” In Norine’s Revenge and Sir Noel’s Heir, Carleton (New York, NY), 1882, pp. 393–402. Published as “A Dark Conspiracy” in Norine’s Revenge and Sir Noel’s Heir (1902), Dillingham (New York, NY), pp. 393–402.
1883
“The Child of the Wreck.” Twelve Complete Novelettes by Popular Authors, Lupton (New York, NY), 1883, pp. 49–54.
Sharing Her Crime. Carleton (New York, NY), 1883. Published as Sharing Her Crime (1883) by Low (London, UK). Published as Sharing Her Crime (1883) by Dillingham (New York, NY).
1886
“The Mystery of Blackwoods.” Leisure Hour Library, New Series, vol. 1, no. 110, Lupton (New York, NY), 1886.
The Actress’ Daughter. Carleton (New York, NY), 1886. Published as The Actress’ Daughter (1886) by Dillingham (New York, NY). Published as The Actress’ Daughter (date unknown) by W. Nicholson and Sons (London, UK). Published as The Actress’ Daughter (1899) by C. F. Wright III.
1887
Sir Noel’s Heir. Lupton (New York, NY), 1887. Published as Sir Noel’s Heir (1892) by Lupton (New York, NY). Published as Sir Noel’s Heir (1892) by Federal Book Co. (New York, NY).
Um ihretwillen. Roman, dem amerikan original der Mrs. Agnes Fleming nacherzählt von Lina, frefrau von Berlepsch. J. Habbell (Regensburg, Germany), 1887.
1888
Helena Graham; Or, The Bride’s Sacrifice. London Journal (London, UK), 1 Dec. 1888 to 9 Mar. 1889.
Uncle Fred’s Visit and How It Ended. Mowbray (London, UK), 1888.
The Virginia Heiress. Street and Smith (New York, NY), 1888. Published as The Virginia Heiress (1891) by Street and Smith (New York, NY).
1890
“Tom’s Revenge.” The People’s Home Journal, Lupton (New York, NY), 1890.
1891
Married for Money and Other Stories. Ogilvie (New York, NY), 1891. Published with six additional stories as Married for Money and Other Stories (1891) by Ogilvie (New York, NY).
A Pretty Governess and Other Stories. Ogilvie (New York, NY), 1891.
1894
A Pretty Governess. Ogilvie (New York, NY), 1894.
1897
“Why They Parted.” Happy Hours Library: A Semi Monthly Magazine for the People, no. 76, pp. 59–60.
Works Cited
Copyright Act of 1790. Copyright.gov, United States Copyright Office: A Department of the Library of Congress,
copyright.gov/about/1790–copyright-act.html.
Gerson, Carole. “Writers Without Borders: The Global Framework of Canada’s Early Literary History.” Canadian Literature,
vol. 201, 2009, pp. 15–33.
MacLaren, Eli. ‘“Chiefly Pirated Editions’: The Publishing of Sara Jeannette Duncan’s A Social Departure (with Bibliographical
Descriptions).” A Social Departure: How Orthodocia and I Went Round the World by Ourselves: A Critical Edition,
edited by Linda Quirk and Cheryl Cundell, Tecumseh, 2018, pp. 522–56.
McGill, Meredith L. American Literature and the Culture of Reprinting, 1834–1853. U of Pennsylvania p, 2007.
McMullen, Lorraine. “A Checklist of the Works of May Agnes Fleming.” Papers of the Bibliographical Society of Canada, vol.
28, no. 1, 1989, pp. 25–37.
Sarah Dorward (she/her) is a doctoral candidate and SSHRC doctoral fellow studying in the Department of English Language and Literature at Carleton University. Her research explores late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century transatlantic authorship, focusing on authors who participated in trans-border publishing while residing in Canada.
1Errata Notice: Please note that in the print version of issue 256, May Agnes Fleming is misgendered in the following sentence:
“Moreover, Fleming’s contract with the Weekly resulted in a joint publishing opportunity, where the London Journal, a source that once reprinted his works without authorization, could publish his novels at the same time as the Weekly, with the stipulation that Fleming would be compensated and that the Journal would pronounce the works to be copyright protected.” (135)
This error occurred in the proofing stage of production, and is through no fault of the Opinions & Notes author. All online versions of “A Working Bibliography of Texts by May Agnes Fleming” have been corrected.
Please note that works on the Canadian Literature website may not be the final versions as they appear in the journal, as additional editing may take place between the web and print versions. If you are quoting reviews, articles, and/or poems from the Canadian Literature website, please indicate the date of access.